Chandigarh, October 13
Taking up the issue of pollution caused by firecrackers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to the home secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and the Chandigarh administration, giving them a day’s time to respond.
As the suo motu or “court on its own motion” case came up for hearing, the Division Bench of Justices Ajay Kumar Mittal and Amit Rawal asked both the states, as well as the UT administration, to supply the information on issuance of licences for “explosives”, whether temporary or permanent.

Senior advocate Anupam Gupta was also appointed as amicus curiae or the “friend of the court” to assist the Bench in the matter. The order came a day after Justice Rawal took suo motu cognisance of pollution caused by fireworks during the Diwali season, while expressing serious concern over the increasing level of pollution in the region and its effects.
Justice Rawal observed that the air quality deteriorated abysmally and alarmingly and the city was choked thereafter. Even after 10 pm, a person was unable to move out of the house, he pointed out.